Fat burning Foods: Fantasy or Fact?

You know I am totally against fat burners. And if you don’t know, please read this article here http://squatgirl.com/hands-off-fat-burners/ But they say that there are some foods that may help you lose weight the natural way. I remember my dad eating lots of pineapple for a while and my sisters and I were teasing him: “Are you sure? The more pineapple you eat, the slimmer you will get?!” He would laugh, eat his pineapple and then have his favourite chocolate yoghurt for dessert. Let’s have a closer look and find out. Fact is that my dad has always been extremely fit and still hits the gym three times a week!

PINEAPPLE: Pinapple contains an enzyme called bromelain which helps your body digest protein. Eating pineapple may help people who lack digestive enzymes to digest foods better. But it doesn’t mean it will break down these foods faster or prevent them from being stored as fat. You should still eat pineapple though because it is an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, dietary fibre, folate and pantothenic acid.

GRAPEFRUIT: Grapefruit doesn’t have any magical fat-burning properties neither, but it can help you feel full with fewer calories. That’s because its soluble fibre takes longer to digest. Having half a grapefruit before a meal kind of fills you up, so you eat fewer calories later on.

WATERMELON: Foods that are rich in water take up more room in your gut. This signals the body that you’ve had enough to eat and leaves less room for other foods. Many raw fruits and vegetables are full of water and nutrients and low in calories. So eat lots of veggies, as I always tell you, and you will eat less of the high calorie foods which will lead to weight loss in the end.

PEARS: Pears are also high in water content. Eat them with the peels for extra fibre, which will keep you full longer. Go for whole fruits rather than fruit juice. You’ll get more fibre, and you have to chew the fruits. This takes longer and you’ll burn a few calories chewing, as opposed to slurping down a juice.

BERRIES: Like other fruits, berries are high in water and fibre, which can keep you full longer. They’re also sweet, satisfying your sweet tooth for a fraction of the calories you would get from cookies or brownies. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and if you eat them with greek yoghurt, you will definitely not want an other dessert after.

EGGS: One egg has only 75 calories, plus 7 grams of protein along with other vital nutrients. Remember, your body will burn more calories digesting eggs than a carb-heavy breakfast. If you have high cholesterol, ask your doctor if you can have eggs. You may consider choosing egg whites, which are cholesterol-free.

COFFEE: The common claims that caffeine burns fat and speeds up your metabolism are untrue. In fact the truth is that caffeine is a mild stimulant that helps you stay alert and gives you a boost for the day. Don’t count on this for weight loss, especially if you add calories with toppings. But drink coffee before you hit the gym and use the extra alertness for a heavy workout which again will pay off in more calories burned.

GREEN TEA: Several studies suggest green tea may promote weight loss by stimulating the body to burn fat. Green tea contains catechins, a type of phytochemical that may briefly affect the metabolism. You may need to drink green tea several times a day though and the effect is minimalistic. But: drinking tea is providing a soothing, mindful experience.

So let’s sum it up: Contrary to what you may have heard, no food by itself can burn body fat. Actually, the temporary loss of weight that you may experience is due to a water loss and not fat. Besides, eating only one type of food or drinking cabbage soup for a week will have serious negative effects on your health. It will not only make you feel weak and tired, but will deplete your storage of vitamins as well. And although you may experience short-term weight loss, as soon as you stop your diet, you will eventually gain all your weight back. However, starting your meal with veggies or fruits that fill up your gut quickly, can reduce the amount of food you eat during your meal, thereby reducing your calorie consumption.